Seperation Anxiety
by CaptainAmeliaDelbertDopplerFan
Summary: Amelia and Delbert haven't spoken in weeks.The press are everywhere.Delbert shows up and tries to sort things out between the two of them. But Amelia is slightly reluctant, because she doesn't want to hurt him. But she goes along with it anyway. Things seem alright at first, but get awkward quickly. Romance and laughs inside!
1. Chapter 1: Missing You

It was only a few weeks after the Treasure Planet voyage, and Amelia had never been so busy before in her life. Apparently, the story of the voyage eventually got out, and as it did, every single newspaper and magazine wanted to talk to the infamous captain that had supposedly saved everyone. Then again, everyone had their own idea of how everyone had survived, so no one truly knew what had happened.

Amelia slumped in her chair, sighing and allowing herself to relax after all the time she had spent answering questions. Somehow, the same question seemed to crop up in every single interview… It was always:

"How are things between you and Dr. Doppler?"

And Amelia would always answer with:

"No comment."

She didn't know how everyone had found out about the experiences she and the Doctor had shared, but it was beginning to annoy her. The story had gone from Amelia saving the crew from certain death, to it being a team effort, to Amelia being rescued from the mutinous crew by Delbert in a brave and daring feat. Now, it was almost completely right, but people still thought that they had had a secret romance during the voyage. Amelia merely ignored this assumption, mainly because it wasn't like the reporters had any way of finding supporting evidence.

They couldn't talk to Delbert, because Amelia told everyone that Delbert had chosen not to comment. This wasn't necessarily true. The truth was, Amelia hadn't spoken to him since the end of the voyage. After he had helped her get to a hospital, and spent time with her so she wouldn't be alone, both of them had silently decided that it was better for them to spend a little time apart. You know, sort out their own problems before they pursued a relationship. The nosy reporters couldn't talk to James Hawkins because he was busy at The Academy. He had left about a week ago, after a tearful reunion with his mother, and a few days of helping with the new Benbow Inn, which was coming along nicely.

+THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP+

Amelia jumped a little when she heard the sound of running feet past her door. She stayed silent until they were gone. Her heart dropped slightly. She had been hoping that it had been Delbert, coming to check on her. She had been expecting him to pop up eventually, fumbling over his words and making her heart skip a beat. She had forgotten about the repair crew.

"Calm down, Amelia…" she whispered, slowly easing back into her chair. She closed her eyes, trying to relax once more.

She sighed as her thoughts drifted to Delbert. Although they had both agreed to spend time apart, it didn't hide the fact that Amelia missed him terribly.

"Oh, Delbert… Why must you be so bloody charming…?" she said, her eyes unfocusing as she daydreamed. Eventually, she found herself starting to doze off.

"I suppose resting a bit won't hurt…"

She had just managed to get comfortable in her chair, ready to fall asleep, when there was a knock on the door. Amelia groaned and balled her hand into a fist.

"Bloody reporters…" she grumbled as she got up out of her comfortable position and walked to the door.

She unlocked it, and yanked the door open, not bothering to really look at the person at the door.

"Look, I am very busy and I do not wish to be bothered." She said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. A sure fire sign that she didn't want to talk.

"Oh. Well, I suppose I could come back at a different time... Although I was hoping I would get to speak with you after so long…"

Amelia stopped. It couldn't be. Why… Why would he be here? Still. It sounded like him… Smelled like him…So it had to be him. It absolutely had to be…

The one and only…

"Doctor Doppler?"

_**A/N: This one's replacing my crappy other one! Lol REVIEW! :D**_


	2. Chapter 2: Volcano Of Emotions

Amelia was shocked, to say the least. But she was also extremely happy. She had been secretly hoping that he would show up soon, because she wasn't sure how much more longing her heart could take. Now, with Delbert standing right in front of her, a somewhat goofy smile on his face, she couldn't have been more excited.

"Well, hello Doctor. This is a surprise." She said calmly.

Delbert smiled and handed her a small rose.

"I merely w-wanted to surprise you, Captain..." He said, a small blush appearing on his cheeks.

Amelia smiled softly and took the rose.

"Thank you… It's beautiful…"

"Yes… You are…" Delbert sighed, his eyes glossing over and his head tilting slightly.

Amelia blushed hard and stared at him.

"Excuse me?"

Delbert shook his head and blinked.

"I uh…Um…"

Amelia merely rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Would you like to come inside, Doctor?"

"Um…S-Sure…"

Amelia turned and walked to her desk, blushing as she heard Delbert close the door behind her. She sat in her desk chair, smiling as Delbert sat across from her. She folded her arms over her chest a little, and looked at him. Delbert smiled and stared directly in her eyes.

"So, what have y-you been up to Captain?" he said somewhat nervously.

"Those bloody reporters have been flootling around me for weeks. I haven't had a moment's peace."

"Well… That's not very good."

"No it is not, Doctor. I see your powers of observation are still impeccable."

"Yes, I've been doing observational exercises daily, Captain." Delbert said with a chuckle.

He smiled and leaned forward a little, feeling all nervousness melting away. He didn't know why he had been so worried about coming. Amelia seemed to be just as good-spirited as he had hoped she'd be. They sat there talking and laughing for a while, both of them happy to finally be together again. Eventually, Amelia realized that they might as well talk about something that was just begging to be talked about.

"Delbert… I believe we should talk about what happened between us on the Treasure Planet voyage."

Delbert looked at her, a little surprised. Even though he had been thinking about it the entire time, he didn't dare bring it up, for fear of Amelia getting offended.

"I-I agree with you…"

Amelia leaned forward, smiling as her nose almost touched Delbert's. Delbert jumped back a little and rubbed the back of his neck.

"S-So um… W-Where should we s-start?"

"Well, I seem to recall a rather affectionate embrace once we escaped Captain Flint's portal. Care to elaborate?"

Delbert felt himself blushing as he tried to make up something.

"U-Um… Well, it could have b-been the adrenaline… Or… S-Something…"

"Spur of the moment, perhaps, Doctor?"

"Ah… Yes."

Amelia was trying as hard as she could not to grab his collar and kiss him until they were both lightheaded. She had missed this man so much, and they were finally discussing their feelings, so Amelia was naturally overcome with emotion.

"One quick question, Doctor."

"Yes?"

Amelia leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs and crossing her arms over her chest gently. She tapped her chin lightly as she spoke.

"You are saying that the embrace we shared was merely a spur of the moment, correct?"

"Uh… Yes…"

Delbert had no idea where she was going with this, but part of him was a bit worried.

"If that were true, how would you explain the fact that neither of us withdrew, once it came to our realization what was taking place?"

Delbert had no response, besides the truth, but he wasn't sure if she was ready for him to start confessing… And, to tell the truth, he wasn't ready to start blurting out confessions about his 'obsession' over her.

"Uh…" Was all he could manage.

Amelia felt a smirk tug at the corners of her mouth. This man was honestly too adorable for his own good. And gullible.

"And how would you explain the looks we gave each other?"

"Um…" Delbert squirmed in his chair. Suddenly, it felt as if Amelia could read his mind and was merely waiting for him to say what he was thinking. He sighed. It was only a matter of time before she tricked him into saying what he had been feeling for the last month.

"Well? No explanation?"

Delbert opened his mouth to speak, then closed it and sighed. He let his head drop, much to Amelia's surprise.

"Doctor? I… I didn't mean to upset you."

Delbert looked up, blushing as he realized just how close his face was to Amelia's.

"N-No… I um… I need to ask you something, Amelia."

Amelia blushed softly. Although they had agreed to call each other by their first names, neither of them had actually done it, except for Amelia once.

"Well, what is it exactly?" she managed, her head feeling all fuzzy and cloudy.

Her emotions were catching up to her, now. When they had departed a month ago, she was angry at first. She was angry at herself for letting him go. Then she was angry at Delbert for not visiting her at all. Then she realized that he had a life of his own, unaware that he spent 90% of his time at home, staring into his telescope and thinking of her. Then, she was sad because she missed him… And then it all turned into frustration. That plus those nosey reporters harassing her all the time, made her irritable and even more unpleasant to be around. Her doctor had told her it was separation anxiety, but she told him he was insane and a 'bloody idiot', and a few other sayings I can barely spell without laughing.

All that time, just wanting, hoping, praying… Just needing to see him again, and now, there were only a few inches separating her lips from his, she could barely speak… And yet, she couldn't bring herself to close the gap.

"Well, I was wondering if you… If you could possibly…"

"Yes…?"

"Would you…. Would you like to go out to dinner with me sometime?"

Amelia felt her heart swell, and closed the gap instantly. Delbert's eyes widened for a second, and he went rigid. Amelia got worried at this. Did he not like it? Or was he just scared? Did he even feel the same way? Or… Did he just not want to kiss her? That must be it… He must not want to kiss her.

Delbert was surprised, to say the least. Never in a million years did he think that he would be here, sitting in this stateroom, being kissed by the infamous Captain Amelia. His brain pretty much short-circuited the minute their lips touched, so he couldn't respond. Amelia pulled away and sat back in her chair, twirling her hair around her finger quietly, and blushing a lot. She avoided his eyes, afraid to see his expression. She wasn't behaving anything like herself.

"I… I apologize, Doctor… That was entirely inappropriate. This situation just happens to be something I've never truly encountered before, so my actions may not have been ideal…"

Delbert tilted his head slightly as he smiled. This woman was too beautiful for her own good. His conscious was screaming at him to just get up, walk out, and never come back. But his heart was telling him a totally different story.

"Amelia."

"Y-Yes?"

Delbert reached across the desk and lifted her chin.

"Should… Should I take that as a yes?"

Amelia smiled softly and looked deep into his brown eyes.

"I suppose you could… Or just a definite maybe."

Delbert chuckled as she smiled, her nervous blush disappearing.

A few hours later, Amelia noticed the sun setting.

"I suppose it's time you get going, Doctor…"

Delbert blinked and looked out the large window-wall.

"Oh, yes! I s-suppose I should…"

The two of them stood up and headed for the door. Once out on the deck, Amelia bid Delbert farewell with a smile, then Delbert kissed the back of her hand and then managed to walk down the gangplank. Although, he did trip at the bottom, making Amelia laugh to herself. She sighed contently and walked around her ship, wondering what Delbert could possibly have planned for their 'date' the next evening.

Delbert whistled a merry tune as he hopped on the transport back planet-side. He had finally done it. He had asked out the woman of his dreams. Once he made it home, Sarah and Jim gave him wary looks.

"You're home late…" Sarah said quietly.

Delbert merely shrugged.

"I apologize, Sarah. I had some… Urgent business to attend to."

Jim scoffed over on the couch, then smiled.

"Yeah, because drooling over Captain Amelia in her stateroom is REAL urgent…" he laughed softly as Delbert blushed furiously.

Sarah smiled and tilted her head.

"Oh, so that's where you went…"

Delbert nodded, then turned and ran up to his bedroom, to avoid any further interrogations from his 'house guests'.

_**A/N: Sorry for not updating for so long! My birthdays coming up soon so yeah! REVIEW! C Ya Boofy! :D**_


	3. Chapter 3: Midnight Convos

Delbert had never been so tense before in his entire life. So much had happened in the last day or so, and his emotions had really gone nuts. The excitement of finally seeing Amelia again, the awkwardness of discussing their feelings… That amazingly wonderful kiss… It was far too much for Delbert. He was still a bit dazed from all of it.

The minute Amelia's lips crashed against his, his entire body and mind had short-circuited. Even after she pulled away and he eventually went home, his brain still wasn't in good working order. He felt like he was running on auto-pilot for hours. He had even felt like that way when he woke up the next morning.

It was afternoon now, and Delbert was not as dazed as before, but he was definitely still on edge.

"Hey Doc." Jim said as he walked into the kitchen where Delbert was.

"Huh? Oh hello Jim."

Jim raised an eyebrow as he opened the fridge and pulled out a sandwich.

"You ok?"

"Mm? Oh, of course I am, Jim. I was merely thinking."

"About what?" Jim mumbled with some sandwich in his mouth.

Delbert tensed.

"N-Nothing in particular…"

"Right… So anyway… How was your visit with Captain Amelia?"

Delbert felt chills run down his spine as soon as he heard her name.

"Oh um… It went fine…"

"Are you sure? You look pale." Jim said as he winced, as he realized that it was a honey mustard and pickle sandwich, and tossed it in the garbage.

"I do? It may just be the heat…"

"But it's like 60 degrees in here."

"Oh. Um…"

Jim laughed and slapped Delbert on the shoulder, then turned and walked out of the kitchen and out to the shed behind the house without another word. Delbert sighed. The truth was… All he could think about was Amelia.

He wondered what she was doing right now. Was she out on the Legacy? Or was she relaxing at home, reading a book or plotting a new course for some upcoming voyage? Would she like for him to visit? Or would she be upset that he bothered her?

Delbert sighed. Only one way to find out. He made sure Jim was outside and that Sarah was busy, before he made his way up to his observatory. He locked the door behind him and sat down at his desk, his hands shaking. He waved his hand over the messy desk and smiled when a holographic image of himself rose out of the piles of papers.

"_Well… It's been a while, Sir."_

Delbert smiled.

"I apologize, old friend. I realize that it's been a while."

The mini Delbert cracked his knuckles.

"_It's quite alright. Now, who may I connect you with today?"_

Even though it was just a pre-programmed hologram of himself, Delbert still felt nervous.

"Uh… Er… Connect me with C-Captain Amelia Smollet please…"

Mini-Delbert flipped through his little phonebook and smirked.

"_Ah… Right here. Captain Smollet…" He blinked for a moment. "Hm… This is peculiar…" _

Delbert leaned forward some.

"What? What is it?"

"_Well… It says here that Captain Smollet is… The captain of the RLS Legacy… Oh. And it says here that…Oh so you're calling a lady friend, are you?"_

Delbert flushed bright pink.

"Just connect me."

Mini-Delbert smiled.

"_Just a moment, Sir."_

Then, his image faded into the picture of a telephone. Delbert crossed his fingers and waited. Soon, Amelia's face popped up, her bright green eyes looking very sleepy.

"Yes?" she yawned.

Delbert blushed extremely hard as he felt his heart beat quicken. Seeing her sitting there, in a plain yellow tshirt, rubbing her eyes, made his throat dry up and his face burn.

"Um…Hello Amelia."

Amelia tilted her head slightly, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the bright light from the screen.

"Hello, Delbert. I must say, I was not expecting your call."

Delbert chuckled somewhat nervously.

"I apologize… I merely wanted to see how you were d-doing. I didn't mean to wake you…"

Amelia smiled at how much he was blushing. Honestly, if she didn't help this poor man out, he would surely explode.

"No, that's quite alright. It was a very nice thing for you to do, Delbert. Not many of my acquaintances would care to see how I am doing."

Delbert's heart jumped. So she really did want to speak with him…But that word… _**acquaintance**_… Was that all she saw him as? After all they had been through together? It made him sad... But also a little angry. But then again, how could he be angry when there was this beautiful woman on screen, her soft (and very kissable) lips upturned into a genuine smile, and her head tilted slightly so that her red hair brushed her cheek? How could he possibly be angry? Anger was definitely not one of the emotions he was feeling, as he looked at her perfect face.

"Are you alright, Delbert?"

Amelia blushed. Delbert was staring at her, his eyes glossed over and his mouth slightly ajar on one side, a little bit of saliva beginning to trail down. Normally, this would have disgusted her. This man was just sitting there drooling over her! And yet, she felt nothing but flattered. This was definitely new…

"Huh? I um… Yes. I'm fine." Delbert stammered, finally coming to his senses and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Amelia merely laughed.

"So, Delbert… How are things planet-side?"

And soon, the two of them were in a perfectly warm conversation. Not too casual, but not too formal. Delbert didn't notice Sarah or Jim call him down for dinner, and Amelia didn't answer her door when the mailman dropped off a package. They talked for hours, laughing and getting to know each other more. Suddenly, Amelia gasped.

"Well, Delbert it seems that we have been conversing for quite a while!"

Delbert blinked and checked his watch. It was already 11:30pm.

"Oh dear! I apologize, Amelia. I didn't mean to keep you up."

Amelia shook her head dismissively.

"It's fine."

Delbert squirmed in his chair a bit.

"Well then, I suppose this is goodnight…"

Amelia smiled, somewhat weakly. Although she looked exhausted, she wasn't quite ready to leave him…

"I suppose it is. Goodnight, Delbert."

Delbert smiled.

"Goodnight, Amelia… Pleasant dreams."

Amelia found herself blushing once again.

"Pleasant dreams to you also…" Amelia said, kissing her finger and pressing it against the screen where Delbert's nose was.

Delbert blushed hard, speechless. Amelia merely blushed and disconnected, leaving Delbert staring at the screen, a smile slowly making its way across his face.

_**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Review guys! C YA BOOFY! :D**_


	4. Chapter 4: Picnic In The Park pt 1

Amelia woke up the next morning an hour late. But she couldn't really blame anyone but herself for it. As she got up and stretched, she noticed an odd blue light coming from the corner on her desk. She walked over cautiously, then noticed that it was merely her communicator. She must have been so tired from her conversation with Delbert that she forgot to turn it off. She tapped the power button, the memories of last night flooding back. She let out a soft sigh. She was still debating about whether or not she should have done the finger-kiss. It made her skin tingly, and she felt lightheaded from it. She had felt so brave last night… Like she could forget her rank and her reputation and finally just be… A woman. Her heart had been racing and with the way Delbert was gazing at her on that screen… She felt so feminine and giggly…

+RING+

Amelia jumped, but relaxed when she realized that it was merely the telephone. She picked it up and felt her ears burn when she saw where the call was coming from. She chuckled when she heard two voices, a little distant.

"Just talk to her!"

'No Jim! I… Tell her I'm busy!"

"She's gonna wonder why you called in the first place!"

"I didn't call her though! You did!"

"Because all you've done for the last 15 minutes, is talk about her! Now, I may not be an expert on girls or relationships, but if I were you, I would take this phone and talk to her right now before she hangs up and you miss your chance!"

"Jim, I never had a chance with her in the first place! A woman like her… I..I don't stand a chance at all…"

"…At least talk to her."

Amelia was gripping the phone, pressing it against her ear as she strained to hear what Jim and Delbert were saying. She had never been so focused on one conversation before.

Complete silence. Shuffling. A sigh, then a chuckle. Quiet, fading footsteps.

"Um…Captain Amelia? Are you still there?"

Amelia smiled softly as Delbert's nervous voice.

"Yes I am, Delbert."

A relieved sigh came through the phone and Amelia laughed softly.

"Good. I mean…Um… I r-really wanted to speak with y-you."

Delbert felt his palms starting to get sweaty, and his ears and face began to burn. He felt like his whole body was about to explode. Amelia, on the other hand, was just happy to be talking with Delbert.

"Really? About what exactly?"

"Well, nothing in p-particular…" Delbert stammered, his nervousness beginning to dwindle. "I suppose I merely wanted to hear your lovely voice over the phone."

Amelia laughed.

"Well that was quite a compliment, Delbert…"

Delbert's ears felt like they were melting, but he just kept smiling.

"Well… I was merely stating a fact, Amelia. About your v-voice, of course."

"Well, if I recall correctly, you weren't too keen on speaking with me today…

"I…Um…About that…"

Suddenly, there was a loud crash, then a scream of anger.

"BEN!"

"Perhaps it would be better if we met in person?" Amelia suggested.

Delbert's eyebrow rose, then he smiled like a daydreaming idiot.

"I would like that very much."

"As would I. That is precisely why I suggested it."

Amelia smiled as they decided on a time, which was that afternoon, and hung up. She let out a content sigh, then sat on her bed. Something about that man made her feel like she was the most special woman in the entire world. Even though he could barely form a coherent sentence 90% of the time, and he blushed more than anyone she has ever met, Amelia found Delbert to be the single most adorable, attractive, and attentive man…

And that was merely the A words.

_**A/N:I felt like I needed to update, even though it's kinda short… lol. Don't forget to review! **_


	5. Chapter 5: Picnic In The Park pt 2

As Amelia walked to the park where she and Delbert had agreed to meet, she couldn't help but wonder what they would talk about. They had pretty much covered everything over the past few days, so what else was there to talk about? Or would they not talk and merely enjoy each other's company? Amelia found herself blushing as she imagined an awkward silence, and then they would somehow end up meeting gazes…And then…Slowly he would take her hand…And lean in…

Amelia shook her head. There was no point in daydreaming. Not now, at least. If something were going to happen that afternoon, it was silly of her to be thinking about it like this. Soon, she reached the park. There wasn't really anyone around, only a few children on the playground at the bottom of the small hill. At the top, Amelia saw a familiar, waving figure.

Delbert knew he looked a little silly… Standing up there, waving like it was the president of the universe at the bottom of the hill. After catching her attention, her slowly made his way down the hill, being careful of the toys that had been scattered on the hill, by small children that had forgotten them there.

Amelia took slight step back as Delbert nearly crashed into her, but stopped before he did. He was smiling of course, and his face was tinted a light pink.

"Um… H-Hello, Amelia."

Amelia nodded once, holding back a laugh as she noticed the leaf in his hair.

"Hello, Delbert. I believe you have a stowaway in your hair…"

Delbert reached up, then laughed nervously as he pulled out the leaf.

"Ah…That's embarrassing…"

Amelia laughed with him, then took his arm as they made their way up the hill. Once there, they sat on the blanket that Delbert had set out. Amelia looked around and smiled.

"I've only been here once or twice..."

Delbert followed her gaze and smiled.

"I used to come along with Sarah when she would bring Jim here. He was very rowdy when he was young, so the only way he could burn off all the energy was to let him solar surf around the field behind this hill."

They sat in quiet silence for a moment until Amelia's nose twitched. She blinked and looked over at Delbert, who had chosen to lay down and watch the clouds, and tapped him.

"Delbert?"

"Yes?" Delbert asked, turning his head and looking at her.

Amelia felt her cheeks burn a little. Although they were in the shade of the large tree, the sun that glinted off of the playground below made Delbert's eyes shine. Amelia pushed this observation to the back of her mind quietly.

"I believe there is a somewhat pleasant smell in the immediate area…"

Delbert blinked, then sat up.

"Oh! I forgot! I um… I brought some cookies that Sarah made…"

Amelia watched him as he pulled out a picnic basket. As he did so, the smell grew stronger. Amelia couldn't help but smile.

"Well that was very kind of Ms. Hawkins."

Delbert nodded as he pulled the covering off of the basket.

"You may help yourself, Amelia." He said quietly, watching as she reached into the basket and pull out one of the cookies.

"Oh, careful! It's hot…"

But Delbert's warning was too late. Amelia dropped the cookie, hissing quietly and shaking her hand.

"Blast it!"

"Oh, Amelia I am so sorry! I should've warned you earlier! Here, let me see…"

Amelia thought a moment, then quietly let Delbert see her hand. There weren't any serious burns… The only odd thing was that the pads of her fingers were red.

"Doesn't look too bad… I'm still v-very sorry, Amelia..." he said softly.

Amelia smiled softly as he released her hand. He was taking this much too harshly… He was now looking down, the frown on his face deepening. Amelia rolled her eyes, leaned over and planted a light kiss on his cheek. Delbert blinked and his eyes widened as he looked at her, astonished.

"Honestly, you are far too dramatic." Amelia laughed.

Delbert blushed, then laughed with her. Once they had both calmed down, they both decided to watch the clouds before they attempted to consume the cookies. There were plenty of clouds, and there was only a slight breeze. They lay there in silence for about 15 or 20 minutes, until Amelia saw a cloud that triggered a wave of memories.

"That one reminds me of the Legacy…" Amelia said quietly, fighting the urge to start rambling about the adventures she had had on her ship.

"Really? Um… Which one?"

Delbert's face was beginning to heat up, but he fought it, trying to keep himself calm.

"You can only see it from this angle, Delbert." Amelia rolled her eyes playfully.

Now, if Delbert's brain was as nervous and scrambled as he felt, he would've completely missed the obvious invitation to get closer, that Amelia was offering. Thankfully, his mind was in somewhat good working order, and his cheeks flushed bright pink.

"O-Oh. Well…Um…"

Delbert quietly scooted over, close enough to Amelia that their hands almost touched, but not crossing any emotional or physical boundaries. Amelia smiled and pointed one manicured claw up at one cloud in the sky.

"I believe it's that one. Do you see it?"

Delbert nodded and traced the outline quietly.

"Yes. I see it… You have a very good eye. I wouldn't have noticed it alone…"

Amelia turned her head and smiled as her eyes met his.

"Then it's a bloody good thing you're not alone then." She whispered, feeling her heart starting to beat a bit faster. Delbert merely nodded, a small sincere smile on his face, his heart speeding up just as much as Amelia's was.

_**2 Hours Later…**_

Delbert opened his eyes, removed his arm from behind his head, and stretched. He looked around, and gasped slightly. It was getting dark now, and the sun was setting quickly. There was no noise around them, indicating that all the children and their families had left hours ago. Stars had begun to show up, and crickets were chirping.

He should get Amelia home.

He began to sit up, but his heart jumped when Amelia groaned. She was half on him, and half off. Her arm was resting lazily over his chest, and her leg was pushed up against him. Her head was on his chest, and he could feel her soft purring. He bit his lip and gently slid out of her grasp. It would probably be really hard to convince Amelia that she had cuddled up to him on her own. Instead of waking up the way he expected her to do, she merely curled into a ball and continued sleeping.

Although she was probably the most adorable sleeper he had ever seen, Delbert figured she would rather be in her warm bed than out here. He got on his hands and knees, shivering as a cold breeze blew past him. Just as he was about to tap her, she curled into a tighter ball, obviously trying to conserve body heat. Delbert smiled and quietly pulled off his jacket, keeping an eye on her, just in case she decided to wake up.

He bent down and gently scooped her into his arms, holding her securely against his chest. The only sound from Amelia was a soft groan. Delbert blushed as the memories of their time back on Treasure Planet came flooding back. She was still as light as before, and she still felt just as fragile. He felt his legs wobble a little, as he looked at her face and saw how the rising moon made her skin glow.

He shook his head, clearing it, and focused on the task at hand. After thinking it over, he eventually got down to the bottom of the hill, only jostling Amelia a bit when they hit the bottom a little faster than he had intended. He managed to get them on the last transport, and to her home. Once they made it to the front door, he shook her a little.

"Amelia?"

A groan, then her eyes opened. She blinked and looked around, confused.

"Where am I?"

Delbert set her on her own two feet and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"I um… I brought you home…"

Amelia looked surprised.

"Really? Well, I suppose I should thank you… Although I have not the slightest idea how."

Delbert smiled and scratched his head lightly.

"A simple thank you is enough. It was my pleasure."

"Well, would you like to come inside?" Amelia asked, checking her watch. "I believe that was the last transport of the evening."

Delbert thought for a moment, then nodded.

"I suppose so."

Amelia smiled and unlocked the door, then walked in. Delbert followed and gasped when they were greeted by a holographic man, looking very irritated.

"_Amelia! Do you have any idea what time it is? You said you would home by 9:00pm!"_

Amelia merely rolled her eyes.

"Delbert, meet Scranton. He's my um… Personal assistant. Has been for several years. Arrow… Um.. Arrow created him."

Delbert tilted his head slightly as Scranton stared at him.

"Ah… Nice to meet you, Scranton."

"_The pleasure is all mine. So I suppose you are the male friend that Amelia has told me so much about?"_

"I would hope so." Delbert said with a smile.

Amelia blushed and tossed her jacket in Scranton's direction. To Delbert's surprise, he caught it.

"That's quite enough, Scranton. Follow me please, Delbert."

Delbert smiled as Scranton pulled a face and walked off to a different room. As he looked around, he was quite amazed. He knew Amelia had a love of the Etherium, but… He had no idea it was like this…

There were high definition photos of the Etherium everywhere. The walls were dark blue mainly, and the carpets was black, and extremely comfy. The main color choices were obviously dark blue, black, and the occasionally dark violet. As he sat on the midnight blue couch next to Amelia, he whistled in appreciation.

"It… It's amazing."

"Arrow helped me. His favorite colors were blue and black, because he said that's how he always left his enemies…" Amelia chuckled, the good memories of Arrow now outweighing the bad.

Delbert watched her, and fought the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders. He couldn't help it. The darkness of the room reminded of a dark movie theater, and he felt as if he could do anything and no one would ever know. This sudden rush of confidence scared him. Amelia looked at him and blinked.

"Delbert? Are you alright?"

She had slid over to him a little, searching his face. There was a look of genuine worry on her face, and Delbert couldn't help but smile. Before him he found, not a stoic captain, bent on saving only herself and her ship, rejecting the feelings of others and keeping in her own… No. Instead, he found a woman that he had grown so fond of over the past few days. He found a woman who could laugh and be playful one minute, and then somehow manage to make you regret life if she wanted to.

"I'm fine, really." He said softly, locking eyes with her.

Amelia smiled, then proceeded to engage him in comfortable conversation. Delbert was only half listening though. He couldn't help it. He was noticing everything she did as she spoke. He noticed that she gestured with her hands a lot, and when she was excited about something she would start out speaking quietly, then her voice would increase in volume steadily. He noticed how she would lean forward a little as she spoke, then she would stop and lean back, think for a moment, then go back to talking. She would occasionally ask Delbert a question, and listen intently to what he was saying. Suddenly, a yawn.

"Ah…Mm. It appears to be quite late now, Delbert…"

Delbert smiled and stood quietly.

"Then I suppose you should be heading to bed then, Amelia."

Amelia stood with him, silent for a moment until she took a deep breath and looked him dead in the eyes.

"You wouldn't be planning on leaving, would you Delbert?"

"Well…"

"Because you do know that the last transport left hours ago, when we arrived, and it has gotten quite nippy outside. I cannot, in good favor, allow you to walk out there tonight."

Before Delbert could object, Amelia had summoned Scranton.

"_Yes, Amelia?"_

"Would you please make up the guest bedroom for Dr. Doppler please?"

Scranton thought a moment, then smirked and nodded.

"_Of course, Ma'am."_

Amelia looked at Delbert and smiled.

"You may wait here until he is finished. I will go change and be back in a few moments."

Delbert found himself blushing as he managed a quick nod.

"Um… Alright."

And with that, Amelia walked off to her own room. Delbert slowly sat back down, and chuckled. Wouldn't Sarah be surprised when she found out where he was and what he was doing…

_**A/N: Um… I have no idea if that made any sense… And im struggling to find a spot where I can make the title actually make sense… Review please! C YA BOOFY! :D**_


	6. Chapter 6: Discovering You

_**A/N: Hi! Ok so when you see bold italicized words in parenthesis, it's their thoughts, k? ENJOY!**_

When Amelia woke up on a usual weekend, she would walk around in her pajamas for a few hours, relaxing after a long week. She would walk around the house and makes sure everything was still in order, then check with Scranton on the status of the electrical aspect of the house. There was only one guest room, so she didn't know why she was definitely caught off guard when she peeked in the guest room and saw Delbert sitting on the edge of the bed, shirtless and yawning. His ribbon was out of his hair and on the floor. His hair went almost to his shoulders, and with his glasses on the table next to him, he looked more attractive than ever in Amelia's opinion. Her face instantly turned bright pink as her gaze traveled over his torso quickly. Considering how lanky and clumsy he looked with a shirt on, she was thoroughly surprised to find he had a decently muscular build.

_**(Well… Isn't this interesting.)**_

Amelia had no idea how _**sexy**_Delbert really was. That was the only word she could think of that would accurately describe the man before her. He had a six-pack, defined, but not so defined that it looked unreal. She could see a little muscle on his arms, and figured that maybe he didn't use his arms a lot, until he stretched a certain way and the muscles on his arms were clearly defined. He wasn't overly buff… He had the perfect amount of muscle. His shoulders were strong and looked more perfect that Amelia had ever seen. No wonder this man had always wore long-sleeved shirts with jackets. If all his…ahem…'attractive' features were visible, he would have women all over him.

_**(Thank God for that…)**_ Amelia thought, already knowing that even she wouldn't be able to stay away. It was bad enough that she had already begun falling for him before all this… Now she wasn't falling. Now she was plummeting.

Amelia blushed harder when Delbert stopped stretching and pulled on a t-shirt. It was more like a tank top (wife beater), and it hugged his body like a wet t-shirt in the middle of summer. Amelia thought her brain would explode at any moment and give her away. Her mouth was dry, her face was extremely warm and her ears felt like they were stuffed with cotton. No matter how hard she tried to look away, she just couldn't. It was as if she had no control of herself anymore. Only when she heard a snicker from behind her did her brain start working again. She spun around, her vision still a little fuzzy around the edges.

She rolled her eyes and stepped away from the guest room door and whispered hoarsely, hoping Delbert couldn't hear her.

"Scranton? What are you grinning about?" she whispered, her irritation evident.

"_Enjoying your little peep show?"_

"My what?"

Scranton grinned.

"_Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, Amelia." _

Amelia rolled her eyes and put her hand on her hip.

"Is there a reason you came to me, Scranton?"

Scranton blinked for a minute, then handed her a package.

"_While you were drooling over our little house guest, a letter came for you. Or rather, for him." _

"Why would they send a letter to my house…For him?" Amelia said, her voice becoming even softer as she turned the white envelope over. It was from Sarah Hawkins… Jim's mother, Amelia realized. But why send it to her house? Did Ms. Hawkins know that Delbert was there?

"_Well, would you like to give it to him, or shall I?"_ Scranton asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Amelia thought a moment. If she went in and gave Delbert the package, she would see him in that tank top again… But then, he would see her in her pajamas, which was merely a skin-tight tank top with the academy logo on it, and a pair of shorts so short it should've been illegal. Sure they weren't necessarily appropriate, but Amelia found them very comfortable. Besides, there wasn't usually anyone else in the house with her (except for Scranton, but he didn't really count), so there wasn't really any reason for her to dress any differently.

If Delbert saw her dressed like this, he would probably be too flustered to even keep hold on the envelope, or take it from her when she gave it to him. And their relationship would be going faster than either of them wanted. I mean, they had only just got back in touch a few days ago… Maybe two weeks, max, and she had already seen him shirtless. The last thing they needed was for him to see her like this.

It was probably better if Scranton gave it to him.

"Scranton?"

"_Yes, Amelia?"_

"You may go ahead and gi-"

And right at that moment, Delbert stepped out of the guest room, fully clothed, except his hair was still messed up, and he was pulling his robe around him tighter. His hands fell from the robe and he gasped when he saw Amelia. His face was so red that he looked fake.

_**(Whoa.)**_

Delbert felt his hands start to sweat, and his mouth went dry. He suddenly felt dizzy and sick, but also happy and warm inside. He felt like he was in a dream… Amelia spun around, her hair gently brushing over her lips briefly. Although the movement itself was pretty quick, Delbert saw it in slow-mo. His jaw dropped a little, while Amelia just stood there, her lips slightly parted due to surprise, in just a tank top… Or so it seemed. When Delbert finally found his voice again, his voice sounded muffled and far away.

"U-Um… Uh… I uh…D-D-Didn't mean to um… I-Int-trude…"

Delbert's mind was short-circuiting like crazy. When he had decided to walk out and look around a bit, he never expected to run into Amelia and Scranton. It would have been only slightly awkward… Had Amelia actually been dressed. Well, she was dressed as in she had clothes on, but… At first glance, she looked like… Well, not like Amelia. Even after Delbert realized that she did indeed have shorts on, he still found it hard to speak.

"A-Ame…Um… Nh…"

Amelia blushed hard at Delbert's apparent loss of speech and motioned at Scranton, struggling to keep her composure.

"Scranton, you may give him the letter. I will meet you both downstairs in 15 minutes."

And with that, Amelia pretty much ran to her room. Delbert stood there, his face red, his hands sweaty and clammy, his breathing ragged, and his heart pounding extremely hard in his chest.

"_Hello? Are you feeling alright?"_

Delbert blinked.

"I…I think I'm in love."

"_I thought you and Amelia had already established that, Sir." _Scranton said, a little lost.

"Well… I think I just fell in love all over again…" Delbert whispered, staring down the hall in the direction Amelia had gone.

Scranton laughed.

"_Well, anyway, here is the letter that arrived for you this morning."_

Delbert didn't respond right away… He was so busy staring into space that he didn't even hear Scranton.

"Huh? Oh yes, with frosting please…" He mumbled, obviously not listening,

"_Um… I'll just leave it with your things…"_

Scranton sighed and walked past Delbert, who was left standing in the hallway, a goofy grin on his face. He eventually came to his senses, but when he did, he felt something running down over his top lip. He blinked and touched his lip, silently hoping his brain wasn't leaking out. He blushed when he realized that his nose had started bleeding. That would explain the slight 'spurt' he heard when he first saw Amelia.

_**Down the hall…**_

Amelia leaned against the wall, her heart pounding. This was not how this was supposed to go! He was not supposed to see her! The only thing that could make this morning worse was if he had found out that she had seen him shirtless.

Amelia looked around for a moment. Scranton couldn't come in her bedroom because she had turned off the communicator in there. The door was closed, but Amelia locked it anyway. She slid down the wall, letting her mind wander.

_**(Honestly, there is no end to the new things there was to discover about Delbert… He seemed so clumsy and uncoordinated all the time that I never expected him to… To look like that… I expected him to be lanky and… Well not so bloody attractive! Although… Something about him indicated that there is more to him than meets the eye…)**_

Amelia had now moved to her bed, and lay down it, her face tinting pink lightly. She was lightly playing with a strand of her hair, and her eyes had glazed over.

_**(I suppose with all the books he has had to carry over the years, he would have a little muscle…)**_

She closed her eyes, and she could see him again, standing there in that tank top… But now she was there with him. Delbert was taking a tentative step towards her, and when she didn't resist, he put his hand on the side of her face. Everything around them seemed to melt away. Amelia was staring deep in his eyes, her heart pounding. A whispered confession… A smile… An unspoken question… A silent nod of approval… Then…

+KNOCK KNOCK+

"_Amelia!"_

Amelia jumped and practically fell off of her bed at how loud Scranton was.

"Yes?" Amelia hissed, hoping she sounded better than she felt.

"_Your guest is ready!"_

Amelia rolled her eyes. If only Scranton wasn't holographic… Then she could just slap him when he was irritating her.

"Thank you, Scranton."

Amelia listened as the electronic hum faded away, then she pulled on more appropriate attire, ran a comb through her scarlet tresses, and took a deep breath.

"Alright."

Once she was satisfied with the way she looked, she opened her room door and quietly made her way downstairs. Delbert was sitting at the table, and instantly, Amelia could see him sitting there, shirtless and grinning. She shook her head to clear it, then sat next to him.

"Good morning, Delbert." She said quietly.

Delbert blinked and looked at her, and he could see her sitting next to him, in her tank top and shorts, tapping her chin softly and smirking at him. He shook his head and looked away.

"Good morning, Amelia."

This was going to be harder than they thought.

_**A/N: REVIEW PLEASE! I have no idea what this actually sounds like… So… Help me out and review lol C YA BOOFY! :D**_


	7. Chapter 7: Start Of Something New

She was seated on the dark blue couch, a somewhat safe distance from Delbert. They had been silent for a while, as Amelia was reading and Delbert was resting his eyes, trying to relax. Both of them were on edge, and supposedly Delbert had had enough of the silence.

"Amelia, I really think we should talk about this morning."

Amelia's heart pretty much stopped beating. She had been avoiding this conversation all morning and she was still avoiding it this afternoon. The last thing she wanted to do was be sitting here on the couch, talking about the events of the morning.

"I don't see why you think that." She said quietly, turning the page of the book she was reading. She was trying to seem uninterested, like she had almost forgotten all about that morning. This was completely untrue… She had been thinking about it nonstop…

"I merely believe it would be more c-comfortable for both of u-us if… If we discussed what happened…" Delbert said softly, knowing that the ground he was treading on was more fragile than a snowflake.

"And why would you believe that?" she said, looking at him with her head tilted to the side.

"Um… I… Well if we d-don't talk about it… I mean… I've been t-thinking about it a-all morning and I… I don't know about you but me… I can't get it… Or rather, you… O-Out of my head." He said the last part quietly, as if he wanted to say it but he was afraid she would reject him.

"Well, perhaps we should discuss it…" Amelia said quietly, closing her book and setting it down.

Delbert smiled a little and looked at her. She was blushing, and avoiding his eyes. This was why he loved her so much. From the outside, Captain Amelia seemed so cold and harsh… Like she never showed any sign of happiness… That most people wouldn't believe it if Delbert told them that she was actually nice, and sweet, and… Just so perfect…

"Delbert?"

Delbert shook his head slightly to clear it, blushing as he realized that he had been staring at Amelia.

"Um… W-What were you saying?"

Amelia blushed and flicked his nose.

"I was asking you if you want to begin first."

Delbert thought a moment, about how he would start off, and the all-too-familiar tingle in the bridge of his nose made the decision for him.

"Um… L-Ladies first."

Amelia smiled and tapped her chin quietly.

"Well… I suppose I should start at the beginning."

Delbert settled into his spot a little more, ready to listen.

"I woke up this morning, ready to do a one-over of the house, and I suppose I merely forgot about your staying the night. Well, to make a long story short, I may… Or may not… Have seen you without a shirt."

Delbert suddenly felt like the world had fallen away. He felt sick and dizzy, and his palms were sweaty for the 2nd time that day. He looked at Amelia, whose face had turned bright red, but she seemed as calm and collected as ever. Delbert opened his mouth to respond, but Amelia wasn't done.

"I must say, I was both surprised… And impressed. A man of your… Ahem… Nature and/or demeanor, isn't expected to have certain features. Which, I noticed, you have all of." She took a breath, and paused for a moment, then spoke again. "I was pleased to see that all those years of carrying around textbooks and piles of star charts were very beneficial."

Delbert was speechless. Well, this was new. Definitely not how he expected this whole date turned visit turned sleepover to go.

"I um…Uh… T-Thank you…" he managed, the tips of his ears burning. "I n-noticed that all those y-years of training have p-paid off for you, as well."

Amelia merely smiled.

"Well, when one is the only female cadet at a royal academy, one must work harder than the rest. I suppose that once I left the Academy, the training regimen had become a habit and I found it hard to give up, even though I was on my own."

Delbert nodded slowly, understanding every word perfectly.

"When my parents left me the um… The estate… I found that I had a lot of time on my hands. I didn't want to become lazy like my brother, Antonio… Or over-worked like my sister Eliza…So I used my time as wisely as I could."

"Antonio? I did not know you had any siblings."

"I um… I never thought of bringing it up…"

Amelia pulled a fake pout, a smile threatening to appear.

"Delbert Doppler, I am appalled. After all we have talked about over the last 2 or 3 weeks, you never thought of mentioning your siblings?"

Delbert shrugged sheepishly.

"I apologize."

Amelia smiled and uncrossed her arms. She crossed her legs and resituated herself so that most of her weight was on her hip, and looked at him.

"It's perfectly alright. Now, are you going to tell me more, or shall I make up something?"

Delbert laughed.

"No, I will tell you. Well… Antonio is 2 years older than me…Eliza is 1 year younger. Antonio is a bit of a 'ladies man' as my father calls it. At every single family gathering, Antonio has a new 'lady friend'…"

Amelia laughed at that, her smile seeming to light up the room.

"He sounds like quite the boisterous fellow…"

Delbert nodded, smiling.

"He is. He never fails to rub his 'superiority' in my face."

Amelia watched his face for a moment. He looked a little sad, even with that smile. Better change the subject. She had had enough awkward moments in one morning to last her a lifetime

"…What of your sister?"

Delbert smiled softly, glad that Amelia didn't ask any further questions about Antonio. Delbert did indeed feel a little jealous of his older brother, but it wasn't his brother sitting here with the captivating Captain Amelia...

"Well, Eliza just got married last year to the son of the family that we grew up with… They have a little girl, named Lexi…"

Amelia listened intently, smiling at how his face lit up. Obviously, he liked his sister more than his brother, which was expected.

"How old is she?"

"Lexi? Oh um… She's almost a year old, I believe… Do you have any siblings?"

"Well… Yes…"

Delbert immediately sensed her discomfort and put his hands up quietly.

"You… You d-don't need to-"

Amelia smiled, which made Delbert stop mid-sentence. He had seen her smile plenty of times, but this smile made his whole body feel tingly.

"It's fine, Delbert. I just don't have very many fond memories of my brother."

"May I ask why?"

Amelia took a deep breath and nodded slowly, like what she was about to say was going to sting.

"Well, when I showed my father my forms for the Academy, my older brother Callum and my father got in an argument. One evening, they started fighting physically. Callum supported my decision, while my father told me it was foolish. My brother swung a few times and ended up knocking some of my father's teeth out… I was watching the entire ordeal from around behind the dining room chair…Then my father turned to me and screamed for me to leave and never come back, and that if he ever saw me again, I would regret ever going against him."

Delbert watched as she turned away and stared at the dark blue wallpaper, tears in her eyes.

"I left for the Academy the next morning, and never saw my family again."

Delbert slid over to her a little, being cautious. He didn't know if she wanted to be comforted or if she would be offended.

"What of your mother?"

"S-She was out running errands at the time… She came home in the m-morning, but by the time she woke up, my f-father had already sent me away."

Delbert felt his chest clench, and he put his arm around Amelia's shoulders. No matter how much Amelia would deny or reject it, she needed to be held. She had been kicked out by her father for being herself and following her dreams, and was taken from everything she ever loved. She deserved to be held by someone who genuinely cared.

Amelia blushed as Delbert's arms slid around her shoulders. What did he think he was doing? Holding her like this? It… It was actually very sweet.

"You never got to say goodbye, did you?" he whispered, pushing her chin up with his finger so he could look in her eyes.

Amelia searched his eyes for a moment, silently wondering how this man could care about her so much even though she had been nothing but cold and mean, for the first few weeks or so of their knowing each other. She smiled a little, seeing the love and admiration in his eyes, and nodded quietly. Delbert merely smiled.

"I'm sure they would be happy to hear from you now."

"My mother and Callum, I'm sure of… But my father… He…" Amelia trailed off, looking away, pulling out of Delbert's grasp. "He won't want to have anything to do with me. He made that very clear."

"No, Amelia." Delbert grabbed her arm and turned her towards him, not too forcefully, but forceful enough for her to know that he was serious. Amelia blinked and her eyes widened as they met his.

"D-Delbert, I-"

"Amelia, you are stern, intimidating, irritating…"

Amelia's gaze turned steely.

"Delbert, where are you going with this?"

"What I'm s-saying is… you are an intelligent, beautiful, amazing, accomplished captain of the RLS Legacy, and if your father can't accept the extremely successful path you've chosen-"

Amelia smirked and grabbed his collar.

"Oh shut up, you romantic fool."

Delbert blushed as she pulled him into passionate kiss. He was shocked at first, and then his eyes slowly began to close. He pulled her closer, returning the kiss, ignoring the surprised gasp from the doorway, and the fading electronic hum. Right now, nothing bothered him. Not even the fact that Scranton had seen him kissing Amelia with more gusto than he thought he had.

When they finally pulled away, Amelia laughed at the goofy grin on Delbert's face.

"I suppose you enjoyed that…" she said once she caught her breath.

Delbert smiled and kissed her forehead, then stood up, pulling Amelia with him.

"Where are we going, Delbert?"

"I believe you have a phone call to make, darling."

Amelia gasped and started pulling back, but Delbert merely laughed and scooped her into his arms, tickling her.

"D-Delbert! You put me d-down this i-instant!" Amelia yelled, squirming. She was laughing and smiling; part of her really wanting to be put down, but the rest of her just happy that Delbert was here with her, making her laugh and giggle.

In the other room, Scranton sat in the chair by the window, letting out content sighs. He had been working pretty much nonstop since Amelia came home, and with Delbert visiting, he finally could just relax. His eyes were closed, and his body would occasionally have a tremor of static before calming down again. He smirked when he heard Amelia's cries for help. He knew Delbert was playing with her, and he was happy for the two of them.

Amelia had been so sad the past couple of weeks… When she wasn't on the Legacy, she was here. And when she was here, she would sit around going through Arrow's old belongings, or reading books about lost loves… It made Scranton sad just thinking about it. He stood, noticing that the laughter had died down to soft, almost inaudible whispers.

Scranton walked all around the house, then smiled when he found the lovestruck couple sitting in the kitchen. Amelia was sitting at the small table, with Delbert standing behind her chair. He kept his hand on the top of the back. Delbert was watching Amelia quietly as she tapped the buttons on her portable communicator, and gently moved his hand to her shoulder, keeping her calm as the communicator connected her to her family. After about 10 minutes of ringing, and no answer, Amelia was ready to give up.

"Delbert, obviously they aren't home, or are busy. Perhaps it's for the best."

"Well maybe they can't get to the communicator… Or…"

Amelia stood and kissed Delbert's cheek.

"I adore the fact that you care so much about reuniting me with my family. Thank you."

Delbert's goofy grin made Amelia blush and laugh, then she yelped as Delbert swung her into a dip and kissed her.

Suddenly, there was a loud 'ahem'. The couple pulled away quickly and Amelia gasped when she saw who was on the screen.

"Callum?"

"Well if it isn't my baby sister…This is quite an awkward way to be reunited with you after all these years…"

_**A/N: Review for more! I've seen how many views this story is getting, but I only have about 9 reviews… So I would appreciate it if anyone who views would leave a quick review **____** I love using my fans' ideas! So yeah! :D C YA BOOFY!**_


	8. Chapter 8: Another Man

"Well, Amelia… It seems you've been up to far more than what was expected…"Callum said, smirking. Usually he would be alarmed that he had just seen Amelia kissing a man he had never met, but he knew his sister had excellent judgement.

Amelia blushed and rolled her eyes. Although she was happy that her brother picked up, she could live without the teasing.

"It's nice to see you also, Callum. How is mother?"

Callum's smirk faded and he shrugged slightly.

"She's doing alright, I suppose. She isn't saying a lot these days though. Neither is father."

"Perhaps he does feel guilty about sending you away, Amelia." Delbert whispered in her ear. Amelia shrugged and managed a soft smile.

"For some reason, I doubt it, Delbert."

Callum coughed once and smiled.

"Actually, Amelia, father was very sorry once you were gone. He said he was blinded by rage…"

"…No more of that, Callum. How are you doing?"

Callum chuckled, then smirked as Delbert whispered 'Be right back, darling.' in Amelia's ear before walking off screen.

"Nothing new to report, Amelia… Although, I did get married 2 years ago."

Amelia's eyes widened.

"Really? That's wonderful Callum!"

"Well, thank you Amelia." Callum laughed. "Anything new with you?"

Amelia shrugged lightly, trying to keep herself from exploding about everything that had happened.

"Well, I found Treasure Planet… Fought mutinying pirates… Banged up the Legacy… Got trapped in the wild environment of the planet…"

Callum blinked and put his hands up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You found Treasure Planet? The Loot of a Thousand Worlds?"

Amelia merely nodded, calmly.

"Yes, then fought the pirates that tried to take over my ship."

"Pirates?"

"We also escaped an exploding planet… And escaped an exploding star…"

"I'm guessing you did a lot of exploding." Callum laughed, still in a little disbelief. "Did you bring back any of the gold?"

"No. The um… The planet exploded before I had a chance to. Well, actually Delbert and I were tied up in the last longboat from the Legacy, while Mr. Hawkins went ahead with the pirates to lead them to the treasure."

Delbert walked back in, carrying a blanket on his arm. Amelia looked at him, a little confused, then blushed as he draped it over her shoulders. Even though they had only started being affectionate an hour ago, neither of them could barely keep in the urge to cuddle right there in the chair. That was just how much they loved each other.

"You looked a bit c-chilled…" Delbert said nervously.

Amelia smiled and kissed his cheek, making him blush. He sat down in the chair next to Amelia and smiled.

"Amelia, I believe you have yet to introduce me to your friend here…" Callum said, smirking.

"Oh. I suppose I haven't properly introduced you two yet… Callum? This is Delbert. Delbert, meet my brother Callum."

Delbert smiled and nodded slightly.

"It's nice to meet you…I've heard a lot about you, Callum."

"I wish I could say the same, Delbert." Callum laughed.

Amelia rolled her eyes as Delbert laughed with him.

"I'll leave you two to talk."

Callum smirked even more as Amelia flicked Delbert's nose and stood up, then left for her room. Once Delbert turned his attention back to the communicator screen, Callum was giving him a stern look.

"Um…Is there a problem?"

Callum leaned forward on his crossed arms, staring directly at Delbert.

"Do you truly love her?"

Delbert blinked. He thought it was obvious.

"Yes…"

"Good. Because I don't want to see my sister in any more pain."

"Speaking of which… Is her father really guilty about sending her away?"

Callum thought a moment, then nodded.

"Yes. How did you know about that?"

"Well, Amelia and I have spent… A l-large amount of time together so… Her past c-came up…"

Callum smirked.

"So she told you her entire past?"

"Well, not all of it… Just how she ended up at the A-Academy."

Callum's face fell into a confused frown.

"Honestly? Hm… I wonder why she didn't mention Zachary…"

Delbert tensed as he stared at Callum.

"Z-Zachary? Um… I… Who is that?"

Callum leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"Zachary Oliver was Amelia's secret crush at the Academy."

Delbert felt his heart clench, which was surprising. Amelia was beautiful, stunning even, so it was expected that other men fancied her at one point… But the idea of Amelia fancying any man other than him… Made Delbert feel sad and angry at the same time.

"Ah, I see."

Callum obviously couldn't see the pain on Delbert's face, and continued.

"Yep… Amelia was crazy about him. He was extremely dedicated to his job, and he was very professional. He felt the same about her, but she was always so busy that he never got the chance to ask her out on a formal date. Once she graduated, he was constantly calling her and they would talk all night… Amelia cut it off because she could barely get up in the mornings to go on her voyages. Zachary was extremely upset, and so was she. But she knew she had to focus on her job, and she swore that she would never love a man as much as she did Zachary…"

Callum would've continued, but he saw tears glistening in Delbert's eyes, and stopped. Unfortunately, Amelia walked back in at that exact moment and sat down next to Delbert, smiling.

"I suspect things have been going well down here… Delbert? Are you alright?" Amelia asked, noticing Delbert's gaze had dropped to the table in front of him.

"I…" Delbert started, looking at her, but his heart ached and he looked away. "I have to go. Excuse me."

Amelia blinked as Delbert stood and practically ran out of the room. Amelia growled and turned to the screen. Her eyes were tiny slits, and a hiss was threatening to force its way out. Right now, if Callum were really in front of her, he would be being strangled.

"Callum! What did you say to him?! What in the bloody heck did you do?!"

Callum put his hands up defensively, trying not to make Amelia angry. He did not want the memory of their reunion to end with her angry at him.

"I didn't do anything! I merely mentioned Zachary!"

"Zachary Oliver?! Why would you do that, you bloody idiot?!" Amelia hissed. "You have no idea how sensitive Delbert is!"

Callum blinked, and watched as Amelia got up and took off after Delbert, leaving a very confused and slightly guilty Callum behind.

"Delbert!"

Delbert said nothing as he sat in the guest room. His eyes were burning and he continued to wipe his tears. He didn't even know why he was crying. It wasn't Zachary was still in Amelia's life… She had gotten rid of him a long time ago. So why did it hurt so much? Perhaps it was the idea of Amelia falling in love with another man. It was like Delbert would only be 2nd place.

Amelia eventually found Delbert, sitting on the floor on the other side of the bed in the guest room. She approached him quietly, not wanting to startle him.

"Delbert…"

Delbert looked up, startled.

"A-Amelia… I… I wish to be alone…"he said quietly.

Amelia sat on the bed, her knees near his head. Despite his better judgement, Delbert leaned his head against her leg, allowing his tears to fall.

"Delbert, you know that Zachary is no longer a part of my life, right?" Amelia said quietly, gently running her fingers through his hair.

Delbert closed his eyes, finding what Amelia was doing to be very relaxing and calming. He nodded quietly, part of him still crying.

"And you know that if there was a man in my life, I wouldn't be here with you, right?"

This made Delbert's heart clench hard, and his tears fell faster. Another nod was all he could manage.

"I probably wouldn't even be a spacer captain had I stayed with Zachary. I never would have went on godforsaken Treasure Planet trip, and my ship wouldn't look like swiss cheese… I wouldn't have sustained my broken ribs…"

Delbert looked up at her, yanking away from her relaxing scalp massage.

"Pardon my bluntness, but are you trying to guilt trip me?"

Amelia merely laughed and bent down to his level, looking directly into his eyes.

"Of course not, Delbert…." She whispered. "I am merely trying to remind you that had I pursued a relationship with Zachary, I never would have met you, and we wouldn't be here together."

She smirked as she tilted her head a little.

"And wouldn't that be a tragedy…"

Delbert's mouth went dry and his brain felt like it was melting out of his ears. He swallowed once, unable to tear his gaze from Amelia's.

"A d-d-definite t-tragedy…" he stammered. It was amazing how, one second Amelia could be threatening his life, and the next… She could making him just wanna kiss her into oblivion.

"Smashing." Amelia smirked.

She kissed him quickly on the lips, then got up.

"I'm going to go see if Callum has my parents' communicator number. Don't faint, you look pale."

Delbert merely smiled dreamily, and Amelia laughed. Delbert leaned against the bed, his smile stuck to his face.

"What a woman…"

_**A/N: Hope this was ok! I didn't know how to continue the convo with Callum… How should the convo between Amelia and her parents go? Review your ideas! **_


	9. Chapter 9: Meeting Da Parents

The sound of the communicator as it dialed Amelia's parents sounded extremely loud. Her hands were shaking, and she was struggling not to cancel the call. Luckily, Delbert was next to her, holding one of her hands and rubbing the back softly. He noticed how her hands twitched and squeezed her hand softly. When she looked at him, he smiled.

"It will be fine, Amelia."

Amelia smiled slightly and squeezed his hand. Suddenly, the communicator lit up. Amelia tensed and squeezed Delbert's hand hard, making him wince.

"A-Amelia? Is that you?"

Amelia slowly let go of Delbert's hand and leaned towards the screen. Delbert merely smiled as he watched her look of amazement.

"Mother?"

Amelia's mom smiled and tears filled up her eyes. Amelia felt tears rolling down her face, her whole body overcome with emotion.

"It's been so long, darling… It seems that only yesterday I was brushing your hair and telling you bedtime stories…"

"Yes… It's been a very long time… I've missed you, mother."

"I've missed you as well, Amelia. I heard about your… Your voyage. Callum said something about Treasure Planet?"

Amelia nodded, wiping her tears.

"Ah… Yes. I um, I ventured to it. Although, it exploded before I got a chance to collect any of the treasure. In fact, I didn't even truly get to see it."

Amelia mother, whose name was Katherine, looked a bit confused.

"You didn't? Well, why did you go through all the work of traveling there, if you never got to see it?"

"Well… I believe Delbert could explain it better than I can."

Katherine tilted her head.

"Delbert?"

Amelia nodded and laughed as Delbert waved slightly, obviously nervous.

"Um… Hello Ma'am. Well, the voyage itself was… Not intended to be quite as d-dangerous. You see…"

Amelia's mother merely sat there and listened as Delbert told the entire story of how the voyage came to be, and how things went.

"And one of the pirates had fired a laserball, which struck the back of the longboat…"

"Injuring me in the process." Amelia cut it, smiling.

"Y-Yes." Delbert managed.

"Once the boat crash-landed on the planet, Mr. Hawkins went off to find a place to camp for the night. Those blasted pirates were searching for us only moments after we landed."

Katherine's concerned look was not lost on either Delbert nor Amelia, as she spoke.

"It…Ah… It sounds horrible. How did you manage to get home?"

Amelia blushed as she explained how well Delbert had patched her up, made her a sling, watched over her, and kept her calm.

"He was the perfect gentleman." She ended, with a smile.

Delbert merely blushed.

"It was my pleasure, honestly. Um… After Jim went off the find the map, Silver and his crew came and took us hostage and eventually trapped Jim. We followed the map to the place where the treasure would be, and Jim and Silver got out. We were left in the longboat with a rude, and equally as disgusting pirate…"

"Who Delbert freed us from, surprisingly."

Amelia laughed and Delbert rolled his eyes. Katherine smiled, already beginning to like Delbert. Amelia obviously adored him, and he was such a gentleman, even in the direst of situations. She listened as they told her about the escape, and Jim's heroics… But both of them blushed heavily when they described the events that took place after they narrowly escaped the portal.

"Everyone was very grateful to be alive… Especially me, considering what I've gone through." Amelia smiled, her hand resting on top of Delbert's, off screen.

"After a um… Tender embrace, Amelia and I decided that it would be better if we went our separate ways… So a-after she was released from the hospital… We lost contact." Delbert said quietly.

"Well, apparently not. Because I see a young couple in front of me that don't seem very 'separate'…" Katherine smiled at how her daughter merely shrugged off her comment.

Katherine loved seeing her Amelia happy like this. Laughing and smiling, blushing and being playful… She hadn't seen Amelia this way before… Although Callum had told her about Zachary… From what Callum had said, Amelia and Zachary had been perfect for each other. But this was different. They were both serious, dedicated, and willing students… But there was nothing to improve. They were exactly alike. With Delbert…Amelia's hard, cold-hearted shell was only broken by Delbert's soft, caring, sweet one. They complimented each other. What Amelia lacked in social skills and kindness, Delbert made up for in gentlemanliness and love. Right now, there was no one else that Katherine would rather see Amelia be with. Nevermind the fact that he was a Canid. If Amelia loved this man as much as it seemed, Katherine was sure she would be receiving a wedding invitation very soon… Suddenly, there was the sound of falling furniture.

"Katherine?! Where are you? Callum told me you found Amelia! WHERE IS SHE?!"

Amelia cringed as Katherine smiled weakly.

"I believe your father is home…"

She slid over as Andrew, Amelia's father, stared at the screen.

"Amelia Ann Smollet? Is that you?"

Delbert winced as Amelia clutched his hand as hard as she could.

"Yes, it's me."

"My, my, my… You've grown so much... You're not a ditzy little girl anymore… Amelia, I am so sorry I sent you away, but you had foolish ideas in your head and you were breaking up the family."

Amelia felt her blood boil, but before she could answer, Delbert spoke up.

"No, in fact she's the extremely successful and accomplished captain of the RLS Legacy. I'm Delbert Doppler, and I hired her for her last voyage. She's fought pirates, went to Treasure Planet, lost her best friend, sustained an injury, and still manages to strike fear into the hearts and minds of an unfortunate few. Now, I have heard all about your decision to send Amelia away, thinking she would not become what she has. And that makes you, sir… The most idiotic, selfish, dim-witted man I have ever had the displeasure of hearing about. Now, maybe you have changed since then and perhaps you are truly sorry for what you've done… But although an apology is wonderful, I doubt that anything you could say would ever completely heal the scars. She wasn't the one breaking up the Smollet family…. You were."

Needless to say, Katherine, Andrew, and Amelia were all shocked.

"…Delbert?"

"I'm sorry, Amelia. Actually… No I'm not."

Amelia's eyes narrowed and pulled him offscreen.

"What on Montressor do you think you're doing?" she whispered.

Delbert crossed his arms and looked away.

"I was trying to help…"

Amelia sighed.

"Delbert, I appreciate what you were trying to do… But I don't need any help in dealing with my father."

"I couldn't help myself, Amelia. I suppose I have this natural instinct to protect you."

Amelia pinched the bridge of her nose. She had been hoping that he would just sit quietly until she introduced him to her father, but obviously, Delbert had other plans.

"That may have been the case, but I honestly did not need any help…Perhaps you should apologize to my father…"

Delbert's eyes were full of frustration as he stood.

"I am not going to apologize for caring about you. You know I love you, and I only wanted to defend you. But you don't want that. If you need me, I'll be in the parlor."

"Delbert, wait!"

Amelia tried to stop him, but Delbert had already whisked out of the kitchen. She sighed and slid back over to the communicator, where her parents were whispering to each other.

"I don't know who that man thinks he is… Speaking to me that way."

"Andrew, honey, don't be so cross…"

Amelia cleared her throat, getting their attention.

"I… I would apologize for Delbert's actions, but… He had good intentions and I see no reason why I should."

"How about because he insulted your father?! Or because he made up lies about you!" Andrew yelled, leaning forward.

Amelia growled softly.

"You know he was right! Everything he said was true! I am the captain of the RLS Legacy! I did go to Treasure Planet, fought pirates, lost my first mate and I did fall in love with him! Why are you making such a fuss over this?"

Amelia's eyes widened at the same time Andrew's did.

"He never said you fell in love with him… That isn't true, is it?"

Amelia sat back a little and twiddled her fingers.

"Well, actually father… It is. I sustained an injury in the battle against the pirates, and he was a perfect gentleman. He took care of the wound, and… Carried me to safety. He watched over me while on Treasure Planet, and sailed us through Flint's portal, back here before Treasure Planet exploded… To make a very long and bloody annoying story short… He saved my life."

"My, my, my… Amelia… I do believe you are blushing…" Andrew said softly, as if he were close to tears.

Amelia looked at him, and managed a slight smile.

"Father, I-"

"Amelia. Wait. I need to apologize. I have caused you so much pain, only because I wanted you to be someone else. I didn't support your decision, and I took you away from those who did. I wanted you to be like every other little girl in the neighborhood… Reading fairy tales and playing dress up… Helping their mothers cook and clean… But you were special, not a mistake. You were drawing up star charts and reading maps at age 7… You made yourself your own captain's uniform, and turned every single one of your stuffed animals into a crew member. You made a ship out of your bedsheets, and whenever we couldn't find you, you were always hiding in the basement, reading old adventure tales. I apologize for taking away your books and tearing apart your uniform… I apologize for ruining your bedsheets and forcing you to cook and clean with your mother… I apologize for everything I have ever done or said to you that pushed u away… And I especially apologize for sending you off to join the Academy at the age you were… Please forgive me Amelia… I want to be a good father now."

Andrew was practically sobbing now, and Amelia was struggling to pull herself together long enough to say she forgave him. So she merely nodded and smiled. Andrew smiled through his tears.

"Would you l-like to visit sometime?" Amelia managed.

"Of course we would, sweetheart. I would love to meet Delbert in person, and apologize."

Katherine clung to Andrew's arm, her own tears drying up now.

"I would love to meet him also."

Amelia smiled as her parents spoke with her for a few more minutes. She loved how comfortable they all were, and they made her laugh. She was having such a good time that she didn't even notice when Delbert came in behind her and leaned against the doorframe.

"Well, Amelia. I believe you have an argument to resolve with a certain charming Canid… We love you very much."

"Yes, I believe I do… I made a very big mistake…"

"I'm sure he will forgive you, Amelia."

"I should hope so…I suppose this is goodbye for now."

"Goodbye Amelia."

Amelia turned off the communicator, then let out a sigh and began standing up. Suddenly, she felt two arms wrap around her waist from behind.

"I'll always forgive you."

Amelia smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Who said I needed you to forgive me?"

Delbert merely laughed and turned her around to face him.

"You did, Amelia."

Amelia just laughed.

_**A/N: Hope this was good enough! Review please! C Ya Boofy!**_


	10. Chapter 10: New Beginnings

Delbert smiled as he bent down and planted a soft kiss on Amelia's forehead. She was fast asleep, her ears twitching only slightly as Delbert gently slid off of the couch, being careful not to disturb her. They had had a full morning, and both of them were content to lounge the day away. But something was bothering Delbert. Something Scranton had given him. He smiled as Amelia mewled and curled up in a ball. He tiptoed out of the livingroom, gasping when the doorbell rang. He looked at Amelia, who was still asleep, and let out a sigh of relief. He walked to the door, and hesitated for a moment, before he opened it. To his surprise, it was Sarah and Jim. Jim was in his Academy uniform, looking very irritated. Sarah was grinning, her face looking like it would rip apart.

"Sarah? Jim? Um… What brings you here?"

"Hm, well let's see Doc. You went on your date with Captain Amelia about 3 days ago, and never came home, or sent a letter, or called… So obviously we're just here to chat!" Jim sneered.

Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Don't mind him, Delbert. He's mad because I made him bring me by on his way back to the Academy."

"Sgt. Carlon is gonna be so mad that I'm late!"

Sarah sighed and put some money in her whining son's hand.

"Here, take the next transport, and call me when you get there."

Jim nodded and waved as he ran off.

"Bye Mom! See ya Doc! Good luck with the Captain!"

Delbert merely waved back, and jumped a little when he met Sarah's gaze.

"Well, aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Um… Well… I-It's Amelia's house so… I suppose I should go ask her…Wait here for a brief moment, Sarah."

Sarah laughed as Delbert ran back to the livingroom, where Amelia was laying there, wide awake and smirking.

"I suppose we have a guest, Delbert?"

Delbert blushed at how she said 'we' instead of 'I'.

"I um… Y-Yes… It's S-Sarah Hawkins… Jim's mother…"

Amelia sat up and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Why would Ms. Hawkins be here? You did inform her of your location, right?"

Delbert blushed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously as Amelia stood up and put her hand on her hip, right in front of him.

"I…I may have neglected to…Inform her of…. A-Anything really…"

Amelia laughed softly as she kissed his cheek and walked to the front door. Delbert blushed and followed her, smiling as Amelia shook hands with Sarah and invited her in.

"I've heard a lot about you, Ms. Hawkins."

"So have I, Captain. It's nice to finally meet the woman that has captured Delbert's attention… He hasn't contacted us in days and I was beginning to worry, until Jim told me that he must be here. I must say I was a bit surprised. I never expected Delbert as one to run off with a woman into the sunset…" Sarah laughed.

Amelia rolled her eyes a little and chuckled as Delbert blushed and looked away nervously. Amelia invited Sarah to sit down with her, and they both began talking about...Well… A lot of things. Treasure planet, Delbert, the Legacy, Jim and how he was doing… Delbert merely sat there, his fingers intertwined with Amelia's, just watching. It amazed him how nicely they were getting along, seeing how they were so different in personality, and background. Suddenly, he remembered why he had gotten up in the first place.

"Ladies, if you'll excuse me… I have urgent business to attend to."

Amelia smiled as he stood, kissed her cheek, released her hand and left the room. She then returned her attention back to Sarah, who was smirking. Amelia got a little defensive, wondering why on Earth this woman was staring at her like that.

"Do you need something, Ms. Hawkins?"

Sarah merely shrugged and sipped her tea.

"No, Ma'am. I was merely observing you and Delbert together. I've never seen him so happy before."

"Honestly, Ms. Hawkins that cannot be true."

"Oh but it is." Sarah said, setting down her cup. "Delbert has never been the most social person… There isn't much he can say that the average woman can relate to. I've taken him to events and formal parties, and he usually just stands off by himself, watching and listening… I've introduced him to many different people, and almost every woman I talk to, that has met Delbert, has said that 'he's attractive enough, but all he ever talks about is the Etherium.' I swear, I thought he would be alone forever. I couldn't think of a single woman who would be able to tolerate all of that, but I was always hoping that someone would come along… Every day it seemed that he would get lonelier and lonelier…"

Amelia felt her heart clench. She had treated Delbert so badly when they first met, and even though she loved him now, she could never take back some of the things she had said to him. Sarah noticed the slight changed in Amelia's expression and smiled, gently patting her knee.

"But that doesn't matter now. He's finally happy."

Amelia smiled and swirled her tea around a little. After a few moments, Amelia took a deep breath and broke the silence.

"Ms. Hawkins?"

"Yes?"

"How… How did you know you loved Mr. Hawkins? If you don't mind talking about him."

Sarah shrugged.

"I don't mind. Well… I suppose it was that warm, fuzzy feeling I got whenever we were alone... And sometimes when we weren't alone. It was always the little things that let me know. Everytime he would hold my hand, or guide me with his hand on the small of my back, or introduce me as 'his Sarah'… My heart would always jump a little. I would blush almost 24/7, and when we were apart, I would be constantly thinking about what he was doing and if he was safe. I would always wonder if he was thinking about me…"

Amelia watched her face, sensing that her story was about to get painful.

"Ms. Hawkins, you don't have to talk about it if it hurts."

Sarah smiled weakly.

"It's alright. So um… Since I was in love with him… I had convinced myself that he was just as in love with me. Which was why it hurt so much when he left me."

"Does it hurt right now?"

"Yes… But seeing others happy is what keeps me going… That and Jim."

"Actually, I meant does it hurt, seeing Delbert and I?"

Sarah merely laughed.

"Of course not! I wouldn't have come if it did."

Amelia laughed with her, glad she finally had another female to talk to, who didn't judge her because of her profession.

Delbert finally came back down, a smile on his face, and a hand behind his back.

"Hello…" he said, timidly placing a rose in Amelia's lap.

Amelia merely smiled, as Delbert sat next to her.

"What are you two talking about?"

Sarah and Amelia looked at each other and smiled. Sarah shrugged and sipped her tea, as Amelia sniffed her flower and kissed Delbert.

"Nothing to concern yourself with, love."

Delbert rolled his eyes and smiled.

"I'll never understand women."

"You're not supposed to, Delbert." Sarah said with a laugh.

_***&(*^*& ^*&^#E&&(#* **_

A few hours later, Sarah was saying her goodbyes. She hugged Delbert and waved to Amelia as she ran out into the stormy night, and climbed into the transport. Amelia closed the door and locked it, then laughed as Delbert scooped her up in yet another tickle attack.

Outside, as the last person hopped on the transport, Sarah chuckled as she looked out of the window and saw Delbert and Amelia running through the livingroom, big smiles on their faces. She smiled as she heard Amelia squeal between uncontrollable fits of laughter. Those two truly were perfect for each other.

"Is this seat taken?"

Sarah blinked and tore her attention away from the house, to the man standing before her. He looked a lot like Leland, and she could barely hold in a gasp. The same color brown hair, the barely visible 5 o'clock shadow… The only difference was his bright blue eyes. She blushed realizing that he was still waiting for an answer.

"Uh… No, go ahead."

The man smiled and sat down. Sarah looked away and watched as the transport pulled off, her face getting warm. It had been a long time since Leland left… Maybe it was it time she start over. She looked at the man next to her and smiled as she stuck her hand out.

"I'm Sarah."

He looked at her hand for a moment, then smiled and shook it.

"I'm Joseph."

As the ride went on, Sarah learned that Joseph had sailed with Leland once. She didn't tell him that they had been married, for fear of her breaking down.

"He was a good man. Hard worker. He didn't talk a whole lot, and when he did, it wasn't about anything really interesting…"

Sarah laughed weakly.

"He did tend to bring up boring topics…"

Joseph watched her face, then he gasped.

"Wait… You're Sarah. Sarah _Hawkins_."

Sarah nodded slowly.

"Yes."

"You're his wife! Leland talked about you! I wondered why you looked so familiar… I've seen pictures of you, in Leland's wallet. He had a little boy… James, I think?"

Sarah nodded.

"Yes. Jim is our son. He's at the Academy right now…"

Joseph nodded understandingly.

"Have you heard from Leland lately?"

Sarah looked down at her hands, wondering why she felt so guilty all of a sudden.

"No. He abandoned Jim and I, years ago."

Joseph touched her hand, making her look up.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Sarah smiled, suddenly getting that warm, fuzzy feeling again…

"_**Doppler Estate!"**_

Sarah jumped a little, then laughed.

"This is my stop."

Joseph merely watched as she grabbed her bag and stood.

"It was nice meeting you, Joseph."

"You too, Sarah."

Sarah smiled and walked to the door, and stepped out. She walked up to the front door of the mansion, then stopped.

"Sarah!"

She spun around, blushing as she saw that Joseph was walking towards her with a bag.

"You… You forgot this."

"O-Oh. Thank you."

Joseph smiled and handed her the bag, then looked behind her at the mansion.

"Wow. I love your house."

Sarah chuckled.

"Oh, it's not my house, per se… It's my friend's. I'm kind of house-sitting while he spends time with his um… Girlfriend."

"Oh… Must be lonely, though. Your son is off at the Academy, and your friend is away."

"It does get a bit lonely."

Suddenly, thunder boomed above them.

"Looks like it's going to rain…" Joseph said quietly.

Sarah thought a moment, then mustered up her courage.

"Would you like to come inside, Joseph? I have a few of Leland's old albums that he left… Maybe you'd like to see them?"

Joseph smiled.

"Well, seeing as the transport already left me… I think that's a wonderful idea."

Sarah smiled and unlocked the door, her heart pounding. Leland followed her inside, and after hanging up their coats, he sat with her in the parlor. She pulled out a few semi-dusty books, and they spent most of the night laughing at old pictures of Leland, and his friends. They even found one of Joseph. By the time 12 pm hit, neither of them wanted to say goodbye. Sarah walked him to the door, laughing and talking with him.

"Well, Madam… I believe it's time I bid you adieu."

"Yes, I believe it is. In fact, I believe it was time about 2 hours ago."

Joseph laughed with her, then placed a small kiss on the back of her hand.

"Until next time…Goodbye Sarah."

Sarah merely smiled and waved as he headed out.

"Goodbye, Joseph."

Yes, it was definitely time for her to move on.

_**A/N: Alright… I wanted Sarah to finally meet someone because its kinda sad that shes been so preoccupied with everything else. I hope this chapter is ok, and sorry for waiting so long to update! REVIEW! Got ideas? Send em in, through reviews! :D C YA BOOFY! :D**_


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